But you do need to make sure that you take proper care of yourself following birth. Our priority tends to be our newborn and their wellbeing, but you need to take good care of yourself in order to be able to take good care of them. Your body will go through a period of recovery and there are various things you can do to help it along the way. Here are some suggestions that should be able to guide you!

Listen to the Doctor

Everyone’s birth is different. Some people give birth vaginally. Others give birth through caesarean section. Some people have a straightforward birth. Others will experience rips or tears, or may have had to have incisions and drains fitted following birth to allow for recovery. Because recovery is so subjective and individual, it is absolutely essential to listen to your doctor, midwife or surgeon’s advice regarding your recovery. If you are told not to move, don’t move. If you are told not to lift anything heavier than your baby, don’t lift anything any heavier than your baby. 

If you are prescribed medicine, take the right amount, on time, as advised. If you have experienced injury during the process of birth, you should look into doctor recommended treatment options that will help you. However, there may be situations where you are ok, but your baby is not. This could be for a number of reasons, but some could have occurred as direct result of the medical professionals' actions, leaving you uncomfortable listening to them and unsure of what the future may hold. In these cases, getting in touch with a law firm like gadsbywicks.co.uk could be the first step to you getting some support, and potentially even compensation, for what you are going through.

Rest

You need rest following birth. You’re not going to be able to get back to your usual routine and demands straight away. This can feel hard when you’ve just had a baby. You have a whole lot on your plate to deal with and, chances are, your to do list is extremely long. But you do need to rest as much as possible. This may mean calling in a support network who can help you with this. Your partner should do their fair share of childcare throughout the course of your child’s life. They may need to do a little more than half while you recover. Try to get sleep and take naps as and when you need them.

Cracked Nipples

If you’re breastfeeding, you may find that your nipples feel sore, cracked or chapped. This is completely normal and very common. Our nipples are generally used to more sensitive handling and treatment. Newborns can be rough. Look into nipple creams and balms that can help to soothe them. You may want to look into expressing milk too, as this can be more gentle and provides your baby with the same breastmilk. It also allows your partner to feed them without waking you up if your baby needs feeding while you’re asleep.

These are just a few pieces of guidance that can help you to recover following birth and through the early stages of your child’s life!